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Xan shrugs. “They'd believe anything of a Plumian.”

Jemel laughs, “Clearly,” he says.

Xan smiles. “And there is more. When I passed through the Sacred Hall, I was told they have Atticul.”

48

PERL

Dawn breaks over the Amber Forest, silent and still.

Snow is falling. Soft and clean. Deep in the forest it falls on the battlefield too, covering blood and bodies with white.

To Perl, it feels a little like home.

Inside the Sacred Hall, Atticul is bound with Kerik’s golden chains, sitting on a chair before Susal-Ur-Bellan, the sacred tree of the Solwen. The place Perl has determined has the strongest natural magic of anywhere in Urynwud or the surrounding forest.

Using the papers Elric wrote from Jemel’s translations, Perl arranges everyone according to the instructions. Damon, still grey-faced and shaking from his injury, holds the Amber Blade, leaning on Lyr for support. Lukas beside him, has the Blue Blade, it’s twin. Tobi takes Demonica from Harok. Kerik has Iceheart. Perl can only hope his father’s efforts to reforge the lost blade of the Magician were accurate enough for this ancient magic to work.

For one strange, idle moment, Perl wishes Vane were here. Vane was always the expert in the ancient magics.

Jemel appears last. Last night, when Jemel and Xan had not appeared at the feast, Perl had gone to Jemel’s room to ensure Xan had brought back the Blade of the Fifth. He had been shown a long, thin dagger, almost like an elegant tiny sword. But Perl had paid a price for this information, encountering Xan and Jemel, naked in Jemel’s bed, modesty barely hidden by sheets and no attempt made to hide how close they had become since Xan’s return.

That had not been his only shock of the evening. Jemel had directed Perl to an adjoining room, where Perl had found the Immurite, sleeping sweetly. Jemel’s own mother. Another gift Xan had brought from the Rose Palace.

Inez has been taking care of her, bringing her thin soup and zakol. But now, Perl knows, she is sleeping again and Inez sits with Ferra and Umbert in the Sacred Hall. The little prince’s eyes are wide. He has seen a great deal over the last few days. Perl hopes some of it will be a good education for a young emperor. Which he will surely be when all this is done.

Atticul is awake now. He spent the night wrapped in the binding chains, in the dungeons under Urynwud, watched by a triple guard and cloaked in the same sleeping spell Perl had once used on Kerik in the Starlight Tower. But his power has broken through that spell now. He is wakeful, but silent, eyes black as he watches them all assembling before him.

Perl is waiting for Jemel to appear, to announce what he explained to Perl the night before.

As Jemel and Xan reach the group, Jemel says, “I have the words, but I fear there are precautions we must take. I have already told Perl of this. Before he attacked me, Doroth said that Ur-Durik could not be killed even with this ritual. He told me that Ur-Durik was the King of the Earth. I think that when the princes slew The King of the Earth he possessed the hidden demon babe, in secret. It was never written in the Books of Alios. None knew the King of the Earth had survived by transferring his essence to another body. We need to be cautious in case he leaves Atticul’s body and takes another.”

“So it will not work?” says Damon. He’s looking at Perl.

“I don’t know. There are no other bellator demons. But we know Ur-Durik can inhabit mortal men.”

Tobi is translating for Harok and when he finishes Harok says something. Tobi repeats his words in Artemian. “He says, that is why Ur-Durik manipulated the Solwen. To make the leap to inhabiting mortal men using Harok.”

Under Susal-Ur-Bellan, Atticul makes a sound like a snort of laughter.

Lukas says, “There must be a way to prevent it transferring its essence elsewhere or what has this all been for?”

“Perhaps there is more written on Lyr’s body,” Jemel says. “Something I did not see. I could try again?”

Damon looks at Atticul. “How long will that hold?”

“A day’s turn.” Perl swallows a sour taste in his mouth. They are so close. It cannot fail now. All his work and his father’s before him.

Kerik touches the small of his back. “Strength, faerie,” he says softly. “We have come this far.”

Harok beckons Yaelin to join them. She rises from where she sits with Ferra and Inez. She walks over to Tobi and Harok and they exchange some words of Ambolk. After a few moments Tobi says, “Yaelin says there are rules about who the demon can possess. No simple mortal will do. Diazuul is proud. It will not find its home in any man. He will possess only a king.” Tobi’s voice is shaky. He looks at Harok. “I will not touch Atticul with my blade if it means Diazuul returns to Harok.”

“Suskara?” Harok says and Tobi repeats what he just said in Ambolk.

Harok touches Tobi’s face. “If that is how it must be, Suskara, you must do it.”

“No,” Tobi snaps back. “You know that demon almost killed you.”